


donec eris felix

by Cumberbatch Critter (ivelostmyspectacles)



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Domestic Fluff, Gen, Gen or Pre-Slash, Hair Braiding, M/M, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-15
Updated: 2017-12-15
Packaged: 2019-02-15 03:58:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13022775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ivelostmyspectacles/pseuds/Cumberbatch%20Critter
Summary: "Why are you here?""Toasting a long journey, perhaps."[Episode Ignis spoilers!]





	donec eris felix

**Author's Note:**

> spoilers for the alt ending fam
>
>> _donec eris felix multos numerabis amicos_ \- as long as you are fortunate, you will have many friends

“Why are you here?”

Ignis holds up the bottle of wine. The liquid catches the sunlight, golden yellow on golden yellow, warms his hands where he has taken his gloves off, and he arches his eyebrows at Ravus. “Toasting a long journey, perhaps.”

Ravus’s eyes linger on the bottle of wine; it’s vintage, imported from Tenebrae. Noctis has acquired a taste for it, but he had given a bottle to Ignis with orders to take it to their mutual friend, and Ravus seems all the more surprised to see it offered.

“Brought on orders from the king of Lucis himself, even,” Ignis adds, and Ravus rolls his eyes as he gestures him in.

“He is well?”

“Very.”

Time, in some ways, has not changed Ravus. In others, it has changed him immensely. He has been a stalwart companion to their cause for the past ten years. Dare Ignis even say friend, after their complicated partnership in Altissia so long ago. There had been many nights spent in Tenebrae in the past ten years, huddled around the table with books and lore and Ravus, with varying degrees of frustration and elation.

Ignis’s mind latches onto one particularly bad night, when the long night had still been young and Ignis had been, too. His frustration had gotten the best of him. Ravus had merely looked at him and told him to “remember your calling” in the same, stern voice he had become used to. He remembers now, with mild self-consciousness, how the strain had gotten to him that night, and how over-emotional he had become. Ravus has, kindly, never reminded him of that day.

Their companionship has become comfortable over the years. Ignis is grateful for it.

He has never been one for drink. Social events only, and on messy days following Noctis going to the Crystal. A drink or three has him feeling pleasantly warm, buzzing beneath his skin. Ravus is still not one for idle conversation, but the silence is companionable. Even maybe too much so; Ignis thinks he might be dozing, right there on Ravus’s couch. His Kingsglaive coat has long been discarded over the back of it, and he’s slouching.

Ravus is sitting in the chair, half full glass of wine in one hand. One leg crossed over the other, and there’s now a folder of paperwork balanced on his knee. Ignis recognizes the look on his face as he stares at it; it’s a look Noctis would always get on his face when he had been forced to analyze reports back before he had come of age. Looking without seeing.

Ignis quirks a smile, splaying a hand against the sofa to straighten his spine.

“You are a poor drunk.”

Damn. He had mostly certainly been sleeping. “I am not drunk.” He argues without conviction, and then clears his throat. “Merely tipsy.”

For a moment, it seems like Ravus smirks at the comment. But then it looks like he’s making every effort to look absorbed in his work; he leans forward to read something, but his hair falls into his face, and that’s concentration shattered. He groans, under his breath, batting it out of his face.

“You could always tie it back, you know.”

“Capital idea.” A sigh, and Ravus leans back in the chair. “The dog chewed the ribbon. It seems I need to locate another.”

Ignis doesn’t know what prompts him to his feet and across the room to Ravus. Perhaps it’s the wine. He rests a hand on the back of Ravus’s chair. “May I?”

He turns his head, eyes wary as he looks at him over his shoulder. “May you _what?”_

Ignis’s laughter is warm, slightly uninhibited. “Have faith, Majesty,” he says, and reaches around to pull Ravus’s hair away from his face. “Have I ever done you wrong?”

“That is debatable.”

“I take offense.” He sweeps the long, silver strands back from his shoulders. Ravus is tense. He’s learned through the years that the man doesn’t necessarily like to be touched, and Ravus is hesitant any time anyone does. But Ignis has no desire to use the knowledge against him. He’s simply fixing his hair. “Is there a hairbrush nearby?”

“Don’t be asinine.”

He can remember those words. So many years ago, when they had both been desperate in their own ways. Racing to save Noct, fighting to avenge Lunafreya. _Don’t be asinine_ , when asked if he would lend Noctis a helping hand. Ignis chuckles. _That_ particular aversion has long since worn itself off.

Not much has changed. Ravus’s personality tends to err on the side of acerbic, seemingly cold. That had almost heightened, with his own ascension. But those closest to him know better. Especially Ignis.

Ravus has a kind heart. Like Noctis, he makes a fine king.

“Is something humorous?”

Ignis merely hums a reply; he figures Ravus knows exactly what, and Ignis won’t stoke the fire. They rarely talk about that day at all.

He may not have a hairbrush, but he accommodates by carefully combing his own fingers through Ravus’s hair. Gentle. Methodical. Taking care not to pull at a stray tangle here and there. Slowly, as if warily, Ravus relaxes beneath his touch.

It doesn’t take long to smooth it all out; his hair is soft and smooth and well kept. Ignis doesn’t return to the sofa yet, instead sets to separating the silver hair into three sections and continuing to work.

Ravus notices. “Ignis.” His head raises, and Ignis shifts his hands to accommodate.

“Yes?”

“What _are_ you doing?”

“Removing your hair from your face.” His fingers are quick and nimble, weaving each of the sections together. The repeated motions are relaxing, and somehow the earlier wine doesn’t affect them terribly.

The braid is finished quickly. It isn’t perfect, but it serves its purpose. He completes it organically and takes a moment to admire his handiwork.

Ravus, too, reaches up to run his fingers over the braid. “… You continue to surprise me,” he says, and drops his hand back to his paperwork. “You have my gratitude.”

“It’s not too tight?”

“No.”

“Good.” Ignis finally trails away from the chair, winding his way back to the sofa. He plans to collect his things and leave; the king of Tenebrae is busy, anyway, and there is no point to bother him further. “I should be off. It’s a long flight back to Lucis.”

“No.”

A simple command. It makes Ignis pause with his hand outstretched to pick up his jacket. “No?” He looks over his shoulder.

Ravus hasn’t even looked up. “We haven’t finished the bottle,” he says, and gestures with his glass.

“I’ve had my share,” Ignis says, and Ravus is having none of it.

“Sit.”

He gives him another dry glance, humor feeling alight in his eyes. He suspects that Ravus takes it in from the corner of his eye. And then, “is that an order?”

He is graced with what is assuredly a smirk. “An order from the king.”

“Well then.” Noctis won’t expect him back tonight, at any rate. He plucks his glass from the end table and fixes Ravus with an equally challenging look. “A top up, then,” he replies, and king and advisor will have a late night once again for the first time in ten years.

“This is, after all, meant to toast your king’s victory,” Ravus says, and sets his own glass aside to pick up the bottle for Ignis.

“ _Our_ king’s victory,” Ignis reminds as he pours.

Ravus seems to contemplate, finishes filling Ignis’s glass, and returns to his own. “Yes,” he agrees, and raises his glass.

**Author's Note:**

> give! me! Ravus! with! longer! hair!
> 
> that's 100% what inspired this, me thinking but what if he had longer hair, and then thinking, what if he had long hair and Ignis braided it. 
> 
> Ravus, who went back to Tenebrae to rebuild and became king himself, (who got himself a dog after Pryna's death because he misses having a dog), who's actually become good friends with the bros, who's relationship with Ignis is a quiet, contemplative one but they can still outwit each other at 32/38. 
> 
> I have lots of happy emotional feelings about Verse 2 and the fact they included him sent me right into tears. god bless possibilities


End file.
